STAYING FRESH

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the waters close to Japan have not held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther.

The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took them to bring in the fish. If the return trip took more than a few days, the fish were not fresh, and the Japanese did not like the taste.

Therefore fishing companies installed freezers on their boats. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer.

However, the Japanese could taste the difference between the fresh and the frozen and they did not like frozen fish. The frozen fish brought a lower price.

So fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little thrashing around, the fish stopped moving. They were tried and dull but alive.

But the Japanese could still taste the difference. Since the fish did not move for days, they lost their fresh-fish taste. The Japanese preferred the lively taste of fresh fish, not sluggish fish.

Finally the fishing companies decided to add a small shark to each tank. Lo and behold! Not all, but most of the fish remained in a very lively state. They were challenged, but oddly enough, in the presence of a challenging environment they thrived and remained fresh.

So, do not avoid challenges; jump into them, enjoy the game. Even if the challenges are too large and numerous, don't give up. Failing is not an option. Instead find more determination more, knowledge and more help.

If you have met your goals, set some bigger goals. Once you meet your personal or family needs, move onto goals for your group, the society, even mankind. Don't create success and lie in it. Put a shark in your tank and see how far you can go!